Clipboards are used for many different applications such as securely holding papers and providing a user with a portable and convenient writing surface. Because of their portability, clipboards are often used in an environment that is not otherwise conducive to writing on paper. For instance, police officers normally use a clipboard as an aid to issue traffic tickets at the site of a traffic stop. Traffic tickets may be issued at night when it is difficult for the issuing officer to efficiently fill out the ticket form using a traditional clipboard. It is hard for a police officer to view a driver's license and copy driver's information to a ticket form in a dark environment without returning to his vehicle. Though officers normally carry a flashlight, it is awkward for the officer to hold the flashlight while simultaneously holding the clipboard, writing, and reading the small print on the driver's license.
Co-pending U.S. Application No. 2006/0139909, to Leanza entitled “Illuminated Clipboard and Method of Use,” filed Dec. 15, 2005, is hereby fully incorporated herein by reference. This Leanza co-pending application is directed to an improved illuminated clipboard for police officers to aid a police officer in writing traffic tickets including writing traffic tickets at night. The clipboard includes an illuminated license holding area and an illuminated ticket writing area.
In addition to issuing traffic tickets, a police office is often required to fill out accident reports as a result of a traffic accident. Such accidents may occur at night making the writing of such reports difficult without the need to return to the officer's vehicle or use of a flashlight. The filling out of an accident report may also be coincident with the issuance of a traffic ticket since one of the parties involved in the accident may have violated a traffic law that resulted in the accident.